The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai eBook

When the others had gone in a little wave budded and
swelled, then Hauailiki rode the wave. As he
rode, the natives cheered and the sisters of Aiwohikupua
also. What was that to Laieikawai?

When Hauailiki heard the cheering, then he thought
surely Laieikawai’s voice would join the shouting.
Not so! He kept on surfing until the fifth wave
had passed; it was the same; he got no call whatever;
then Hauailiki first felt discouragement, with the
proof of Aiwohikupua’s saying about the “stubbornness
of Laieikawai.”

CHAPTER XIV

When Hauailiki saw that Laieikawai still paid no attention
to him he made up his mind to come in on the surf
without the board.

He left it and swam out to the breakers. As he
was swimming Laieikawai said, “Hauailiki must
be crazy.”

Her companions said, “Perhaps he will ride in
on the surf without a board.”

When Hauailiki got to the breakers, just as the crest
rose and broke at his back, he stood on its edge,
the foam rose on each side of his neck like boars’
tusks. Then all on shore shouted and for the first
time Laieikawai smiled; the feat was new to her eyes
and to her guardians also.

When Hauailiki saw Laieikawai smiling to herself he
thought she had taken a liking to him because of this
feat, so he kept on repeating it until five breakers
had come in; no summons came to him from Laieikawai.

Then Hauailiki was heavy-hearted because Laieikawai
took no notice of him, and he felt ashamed because
of his boast to Aiwohikupua, as we have seen in the
last chapter.

So he floated gently on the waves, and as he floated
the time drew near for Laieikawai’s party to
return to Paliuli. Then Laieikawai beckoned to
Hauailiki.

When Hauailiki saw the signal the burden was lifted
from his mind; Hauailiki boasted to himself, “You
wanted me all the time; you just delayed.”

And at the signal of the princess of Paliuli he lay
upon the breaker and landed right where Laieikawai
and her companions were sitting; then Laieikawai threw
a lehua wreath around Hauailiki’s neck,
as she always did for those who showed skill in surf
riding. And soon after the mist and fog covered
the land, and when it passed away nothing was to be
seen of Laieikawai and her party; they were at Paliuli.

This was the last time that Laieikawai’s party
came to Keaau while Hauailiki was there; after Hauailiki’s
return to Kauai, then Laieikawai came again to Keaau.

After Laieikawai’s party were gone to the uplands
of Paliuli, Hauailiki left off surf riding and joined
his guide, the chief counsellor of Aiwohikupua.
Said he, “I think she is the only one who is
impregnable; what, Aiwohikupua said is true.
There is no luck in my beauty or my skill in surf
riding; only one way is left, for us to foot it to
Paliuli to-night.” To this proposal of
Hauailiki his comrade assented.